Bezique Drinking - Drinking Game Rules & How to Play

Bezique Drinking is a drinking game in the Card Games category for 2 players that takes about 15-30 min with a hard difficulty level.

Classic two-player with drinks

Equipment Needed

Setup

Shuffle a 64-card deck (remove all cards below 7 from a standard deck and keep both Jokers). Each player gets eight cards, and the remaining deck becomes the draw pile with the top card flipped face-up as the trump suit indicator. Keep drinks nearby, as penalties and successes will tie into the gameplay.

How to Play Bezique Drinking

  1. Set up the game according to basic rules
  2. Players take turns or play simultaneously
  3. Penalties result in drinking
  4. Success means assigning drinks
  5. Continue until winner emerges
  6. Loser faces final penalty
  7. Winner earns bragging rights
  8. Adjust rules as needed for your group

Tips & Strategies

Learn the specific scoring combinations like bezique (Queen of Spades and Jack of Diamonds) early, as assigning drinks is a great way to outplay your opponent while sabotaging their focus. Keep track of the trump suit when forming melds, because it's easy to lose sight of it after a few sips. Bluffing can work wonders during tricks,playing a low-value trump card can fake out the other player into over-drinking on what they think is a guaranteed win.

Variations

Double Bezique Challenge: A double bezique combination (two Queens of Spades and two Jacks of Diamonds) forces the other player to take two penalty drinks instead of assigning one.. Silent Melds: Players can only call out their melds by tapping the table twice instead of announcing them, adding a memory challenge for both players.. Final Trick Sudden Death: In the last trick of the game, the losing player must drink equal to the number of points the winner scores in that trick.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if a player misplays a card in Bezique Drinking?
If a player misplays a card (e.g., plays a card that doesn't follow suit when possible), they take a penalty drink as outlined in the rules.
How are penalties assigned in Bezique Drinking?
Penalties are tied to mistakes like misplaying a card during a trick or incorrectly claiming a meld. Each mistake equals one drink for the offending player.
Can I assign multiple drinks for a high-scoring meld?
Yes, each successful meld allows you to assign one drink per meld scored. For example, a bezique (40 points) lets you assign one drink, while a double bezique (500 points) in some variations might assign multiple drinks.
What is the loser’s final penalty in Bezique Drinking?
The loser of the game must take a final penalty drink equal to the difference in points between their score and the winner's score divided by 100, rounding down.

Players: 2-2 | Duration: 15-30 min | Difficulty: hard

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